Warhol’s Endangered Species Series:
Collection of Andy Warhol prints on view at
Carnegie Museum of Natural History
Now on view through December 31, 2011

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania… Carnegie Museum of Natural History, in collaboration with The Andy Warhol Museum, is presenting Endangered Species, an exhibition of ten silkscreen prints of rare and endangered animals by famed pop artist and Pittsburgh native Andy Warhol (1928–1987). Then-director Sam Taylor and Warhol director Eric Shiner organized the exhibition to raise awareness of insects, amphibians, birds, and mammals that are in danger of extinction. The prints are on view in the museum’s Entrance Gallery through December 31, 2011.

“Andy Warhol created these works to draw attention to the plight of endangered animals,” says Taylor. “It is our hope that Warhol’s Endangered Species prints will remind our visitors to consider the toll that humans have taken on the rest of the species in the world.”

The prints were commissioned in 1983 by Ronald Feldman Fine Arts, Inc., New York City. Warhol’s chief archivist Matt Wrbican notes that Andy’s commitment to the environment ran deep. "Warhol was very interested in environmental issues, possibly due to discussions that he had regarding soil erosion at his beach home on Long Island. Many of the Endangered Species prints were donated by Warhol to benefit environmental organizations.” His interest also reaches back further to an awareness of the beauty of natural wonders that he would have seen at Carnegie Museum of Natural History and places like Phipps Conservatory and The Pittsburgh Zoo.

Of the ten animals that are featured in the exhibition, eight remain on the endangered species list. The animals represented in the prints—as well as their conservation status—include:

• African elephant—threatened
• Bald eagle—Removed from the endangered list in 2007 due to recovery of species. A taxidermy bald eagle mount is on view in the Hall of North American Wildlife’s Alaskan black bear diorama.
• Bighorn ram (Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep)—endangered
• Black rhinoceros—Critically endangered; a black rhinoceros is on view in the Hall of African Wildlife.
• Giant panda—endangered
• Grevy’s zebra—Endangered; a pair of Grevy’s zebras is on view in the Hall of African Wildlife’s savanna biome diorama. 
• Orangutan—critically endangered
• Pine Barrens tree frog—Removed from the endangered list in 1983 due to erroneous data.
• San Francisco silverspot (Callippe silverspot)—endangered
• Siberian tiger (Amur tiger)—endangered

Warhol’s Endangered Species may be seen at Carnegie Museum of Natural History now through December 31, 2011. Admission is $15 for adults, $12 for seniors 65+, and $11 for children 3–18 and students with valid ID. The museum is open Tuesday–Saturday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.; Thursday, 10 a.m.–8 p.m.; and, Sunday, noon–5 p.m. The museum is closed on Thanksgiving (November 24), Christmas (December 25), and Mondays, except December 26. The museum closes early at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, November 23, and Saturday, December 24.

Carnegie Museum of Natural History and The Andy Warhol Museum are two of the four Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh.  

About Carnegie Museum of Natural History
Carnegie Museum of Natural History, one of the four Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh, is among the top natural history museums in the country and is redefining what it means to be a 21st-century natural history museum. It maintains, preserves, and interprets an extraordinary collection of 22 million objects and scientific specimens used to broaden understanding of evolution, conservation, and biodiversity. Through five new Centers, Carnegie Museum of Natural History generates new scientific knowledge, advances science literacy, and inspires visitors of all ages to become passionate about science, nature, and world cultures. More information is available by calling 412.622.3131 or by visiting the website, www.carnegiemnh.org.

About The Andy Warhol Museum
Located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the place of Andy Warhol’s birth, The Warhol is one of the most comprehensive single-artist museums in the world. The Andy Warhol Museum is one of the four Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh. Additional information about The Warhol is available at www.warhol.org.